Policy Text
DEFINITIONS:
CATASTROPHE VICTIM - A person of any age who is missing after a catastrophe.
DISABILITY - A person of any age who is missing and under a proven physical/mental
disability or is senile, thereby subjecting themselves or others to personal and
immediate danger.
FLORIDA CRIME INFORMATION CENTER (FCIC) - Statewide data information system
on persons and property, driver's license and registration information, wanted and
missing persons, stolen guns, vehicles, and other property, and persons' status files and
computerized criminal history.
11/15/23; 11/7/24
JUVENILE - For the purposes of this SOP, the words juvenile and child will be
synonymous.
MISSING ADULT: - Persons 18 years of age or older whose temporary or permanent
residence is in, or is believed to be in, this state, whose location has not been
determined and who has been reported as missing to a law enforcement agency.
MISSING CHILD - A person younger than 18 years of age whose temporary or
permanent residence is in, or is believed to be in, this state, whose location has not
been determined and who has been reported as missing to a law enforcement agency.
MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON - A missing child, a missing adult younger than 26
years of age, a missing adult 26 years of age or older who is suspected by a law
enforcement agency of being endangered or the victim of criminal activity or a missing
adult who meets the criteria for activation of the Silver Alert Plan of the Department of
Law Enforcement.
MISSING ENDANGERED PERSONS INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE (MEPIC) -
MEPIC is a resource center and information exchange service through the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and complements the state and federal
computerized missing persons’ files. The Department will submit information to MEPIC
when the Department reports a case involving missing endangered persons defined as
a missing child, a missing adult younger than 26 years of age or a missing adult 26
years of age or older who is suspected by the Department of being endangered or the
victim of criminal activity. Only the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the
case may submit a missing endangered person report on a missing adult 26 years of
age or older. Entry of missing person information into the MEPIC system will be
completed by the responding officer when MEPIC entry criteria are met.
[41.2.5b,c,f; 41.2.6c,e,f]
NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER (NCIC) - National data information
system on persons and property, driver's license and registration information, wanted
and missing persons, stolen guns, vehicles, and other property and persons' status files
and computerized criminal history.
PROCEDURE: